This leaked 5-inch ZTE handset could be headed to Sprint’s LTE lineup

This leaked 5inch ZTE handset could be headed to Sprint's LTE lineup

Much of ZTE’s MWC 2013 focus was its desire to go from white label to global brand name. And from the looks of these leaked shots, the Chinese OEM’s taking that goal seriously, purportedly prepping a new handset for Sprint. Going by the rumored name “Quantum,” the handset falls below flagship status, allegedly running Android Jelly Bean and bearing a Snapdragon S4 processor, 5-inch 720p display, 1GB RAM and a 13-megapixel rear camera housed in an outsized circular module. There’s no visible carrier branding anywhere on the device to confirm its possible Sprint LTE destiny — only a logo in the notification pane and an anonymous tip, as reported to Android Police, pegs it for that. If this leak does indeed pan out, then that’s good news for Sprint subs looking for more hardware choice, giant screens and 4G. And if not, well, no one will know the difference. Check out the source for additional shots.

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Source: Android Police

Sony Xperia SP render possibly spied, puts the Xperia Z design in a smaller package

Sony Xperia SP render possibly spied, stuffs Xperia Z design into a smaller package

So you’re enamored with the Xperia Z’s premium look, but not the slightly hand-defying 5-inch screen size. There might not be reason to worry: an apparent press-quality image making the rounds in China shows the Xperia SP (aka Huashan), which now seems to be a more compact expression of Sony’s Omnibalance design. The render doesn’t suggest much on its own besides a familiar software layout, although previous rumors have hinted that it could be a slightly reworked Xperia T with a similar 4.6-inch 720p display, a faster 1.7GHz Snapdragon S4 and a scaled back 8-megapixel camera. While there’s nothing here to validate talk of a launch as soon as next week, the existence of a seemingly final press shot implies that there won’t be long to wait for the real deal.

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Via: Unwired View (1), (2)

Source: Xperia Blog

AT&T Pantech Magnus (P9090) reappears after fall vacation

AT&T Pantech Magnus P9090 reappears after summer break

A blast from the recent past, Pantech’s Magnus has leaked again — this time with the screen switched on. We’ve already gleaned that a 8-megapixel, quad-band LTE, MSM8960 dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor and NFC are all part of the AT&T-bound package, while those onscreen buttons suggest Android 4.0 — at the least. While the Twitter-based evleaks decided to obscure the calendar widget (and the probable launch date), we doubt it’ll much longer before AT&T offers a full explanation.

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AT&T Pantech Magnus (P9090) reappears after fall vacation originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Nov 2012 09:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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China Mobile’s Lumia 920T packs a Snapdragon S4 Pro, better graphics performance

China Mobile's Lumia 920T packs a Snapdragon S4 Pro, better graphics performance

Buying a shiny new flagship and finding out international variants are tricked out better than yours is never much fun. Well, China Mobile has Weiboed (is that right?) that its Lumia 920T variant will pack the Snapdragon S4 Pro SoC (MSM8960T), and not the S4 Plus in the regular 920. The Pro carries the same basic CPU, and while it’s not known whether the 920T will use the full 1.7GHz available (the 920’s runs at 1.5GHz), the major difference is a bump from the Adreno 225 GPU to the more powerful Adreno 320. It cleaned up in the GLBenchmark tests we ran on the LG Optimus G (albeit with a quad-core CPU), but is Windows Phone 8 ready to use all that hardware — or, more politely, will it make any difference to the user? With graphic-intensive apps a rarity, we would speculatively say no, although it might make for a smoother view through Nokia’s City Lens, which is fairly hungry. We won’t know until some real-life comparisons between the two emerge, but we’d imagine the GPU boost won’t make too much of a difference to the average user.

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China Mobile’s Lumia 920T packs a Snapdragon S4 Pro, better graphics performance originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Nov 2012 12:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC 8X review: Windows Phone 8’s compact flagship

HTC 8X Review Windows Phone 8's compact flagship

It feels like forever since Microsoft announced Windows Phone 8 back in June, but the mobile OS is finally here and with it comes the inaugural volley of compatible handsets. The first one to cross our desks is the global, unlocked version of HTC’s Windows Phone 8X, a device we first saw in September. Unlike other current flagships, this phone breaks the bigger-is-better trend by providing a full set of high-end specs in a relatively compact package — combining a 4.3-inch 720p Super LCD 2 display, Qualcomm dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor and NFC in a sleek and colorful package. Does the 8X have what it takes to carry the Windows Phone 8 torch? Is this a bona fide flagship despite its reduced footprint? Has HTC designed a better handset than its existing Android superphone, the One X? Find out in our review after the break.

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HTC 8X review: Windows Phone 8’s compact flagship originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Oct 2012 14:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pantech Flex review

Pantech Flex review

Pantech is known for producing budget Android smartphones that punch above their weight, and the Flex is no exception. Available now on AT&T for $50 with a two-year contract, it delivers a dual-core Snapdragon S4 — the same chip that lurks within mightier phones such as the Galaxy S III and One X — along with a qHD display and LTE connectivity. The phone certainly hits a number of the check boxes for value seekers, but there’s something that makes the Flex very different from other smartphones on the market: it has a dual personality.

Folks, prepare for memories of At Ease, Microsoft Bob and Packard Bell Navigator to come rushing back. The Pantech Flex features a unique launcher known as Easy Experience, which caters to those who might find Ice Cream Sandwich overwhelming. Fortunately, there’s also a standard launcher for experts. In that regard, the Flex is deserving of its name. Unlike most handsets on the market, it’s targeting both broke college students and technophobes just the same. Of course, we’re here to answer a greater question: is the Pantech Flex worthy of being your next smartphone? Join us after the break for the answer.

Continue reading Pantech Flex review

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Pantech Flex review originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Oct 2012 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony Xperia VL brings dash of toughened-up LTE to Japan

Sony Xperia VL brings dash of extrathin LTE to Japan

We were intrigued by Sony’s Xperia V back at IFA, but deals with specific carriers haven’t been very forthcoming. Japan’s KDDI is covering that gap by pledging to carry Sony’s mid-size Android 4.0 phone as the Xperia VL. Everything we know and (mostly) love about the dust- and water-resistant phone is intact, including that thin sensor-on-lens 720p display, the 13-megapixel camera, the 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4, NFC and LTE-based 4G. The one question remaining is a definitive release date: Sony will only promise an Xperia VL launch before the end of the year, although there’s talk at Impress Watch of a release on November 2nd for ¥30,000 ($381) after carrier discounts. Let’s hope for the company’s sake that other carriers sign up for the V and VL sooner rather than later.

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Sony Xperia VL brings dash of toughened-up LTE to Japan originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 17 Oct 2012 10:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG Optimus G for AT&T will be available November 2 for $200, pre-orders begin tomorrow

AT&T LG Optimus G to be available November 2 for $200

The details have finally come: the LG Optimus G on AT&T will be coming to stores beginning November 2nd, and will go for $199.99 after a two-year commitment. Eager early adopters, however, will be able to head over to the carrier’s website to pre-order the device. Let’s recap what you’re getting for your hard-earned money: a 4.7-inch 1,280 x 768 True HD IPS PLUS display, Android 4.0, a 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4, 8MP camera (rather than the 13MP module on the global and Sprint models), 2GB RAM and dual-band AT&T LTE. We have a feeling it will be joined in close succession by several other hard-hitting smartphone giants, which means you may have to modify your holiday wish list pretty heavily over the next few weeks.

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LG Optimus G for AT&T will be available November 2 for $200, pre-orders begin tomorrow originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Oct 2012 14:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC One VX for AT&T hands-on: mid-range style on a budget (video)

HTC One VX for AT&T handson midrange style on a budget video

What do you get when you raid HTC’s parts bin and combine the camera from the One V, the screen resolution from the One S and the design language from the One X? Say hello to HTC’s One VX for AT&T, a stylish mid-range smartphone running Ice Cream Sandwich and Sense 4. It features a 4.5-inch qHD Super LCD 2 display with Gorilla Glass 2, Qualcomm 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor (MSM8930) with GSM/EDGE/UMTS/HSPA+/LTE radio, 1GB DDR2 RAM, 8GB of on-board storage and a five megapixel f/2.0 autofocus BSI camera with flash and 1080p video recording.

The front glass incorporates the earpiece, AT&T logo and VGA shooter up top along with the usual capacitive buttons (back, home and recent apps / menu) below the display. A silver plastic rim traces the sides of the handset — it’s a simple and familiar layout, with the power / lock key, headphone jack and secondary mic on top, micro-USB port and primary mic at the bottom, and the volume rocker on the right edge. Pop the white plastic back cover and you’ll find micro-SIM and microSD card slots, a non-removable 1810mAh battery and the NFC antenna.

Unfortunately, we were given a non-functional dummy unit to play with so we can’t comment on things like screen quality or subjective performance. We can tell you that the phone is light, thin and feels good in the hand — it slots somewhere between the One S and the One X in terms of size, and looks nice despite being made of cheaper materials than its stablemates. AT&T and HTC are still mum on availability but we were told to expect aggressive, budget-friendly pricing. Want to see more? Take a look at our gallery below and our hands-on video after the break.

Update: we expect to see a working One VX at today’s AT&T announcement so stay tuned for more impressions.

Continue reading HTC One VX for AT&T hands-on: mid-range style on a budget (video)

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HTC One VX for AT&T hands-on: mid-range style on a budget (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Oct 2012 17:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung P500 and i915 tablets for Sprint and Verizon, Galaxy Note II for Sprint reach the FCC (update: Note II for US Cellular as well)

Samsung P500 and i915tablets for Sprint and Verizon, Sprint Galaxy Note II reach the FCC

When it rains, it pours. As if to clear the decks, Samsung has passed three devices through the FCC’s scrutiny at the same time. Two, the SPH-P500 and SCH-i915, are LTE-equipped tablets respectively headed to Sprint and Verizon with a dash of mystery; their label images imply a pair of Galaxy Tab 2 variants, but both have previously been spotted in as yet unverified benchmarks that allude to much faster Snapdragon S4 processors instead of the Tab 2’s TI chips. The SPH-L900’s dimensions and dual-mode support make for a safer bet, pointing to what’s likely the Galaxy Note II for Sprint. We’re less concerned with the hardware details so much as when everything ships — although we may get a clearer picture of the Sprint Galaxy Note II’s fate around October 24th, the tablets aren’t linked to any kind of public schedule, official or otherwise.

Update: Not long after Sprint’s Galaxy Note sequel arrived in the FCC, US Cellular’s flavor — the SCH-R950 — also made it through the federal approval process.

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Samsung P500 and i915 tablets for Sprint and Verizon, Galaxy Note II for Sprint reach the FCC (update: Note II for US Cellular as well) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Oct 2012 20:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceFCC (1), (2), (3), (4)  | Email this | Comments